HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE AN INTRODUCTION Lecture 1

HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE AN INTRODUCTION (Lecture 1) MA English COMSATS Virtual Campus Islamabad

History Of English Literature/Lecture 1

MA ENGLISH Semester 1 COURSE TITLE: HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE COURSE CODE: ENG-402 COMSATS VIRTUAL CAMPUS ISLAMABAD History Of English Literature/Lecture 1

Introduction to the INSTUCTOR �KIRAN RUKHSANA �Academic Qualification �Ph. D Scholar (Applied Linguistics) �Masters In English Language and Literature (2006) �Masters in English Language Teaching (2008) History Of English Literature/Lecture 1

Me!!! Instructor of History of English Literature �MA English �First Semester �COMSATS VIRTUAL CAMPUS ISLAMABAD History Of English Literature/Lecture 1

A Brief Sketch of the Course �History Of English Literature �Core Objective: �To make students aware of the historical development of English Literature with its social, political, cultural and economical background and its impact on literature through different eras. History Of English Literature/Lecture 1

A Brief Sketch of the Course (Conti) �The objective of this course is to inform students about how English Literature has evolved historically and how socio-cultural and political events have influenced its development through ages. �Although the scope of the course is quite expansive, starting from the age of Chaucer, the students shall focus on early 16 th to late 19 th century Romantic Movement. �Histories of Literature written by some British literary historians will be consulted to form some socio-cultural and political cross connections. History Of English Literature/Lecture 1

A Brief Sketch of the Course (Conti) �The present course covers a reference to the multiple factors from economic theories to religious, philosophical and metaphysical debated that overlap these literary works of diverse nature and time periods under multiple contexts. �The reading of literature within its socio-cultural context will help the readers become aware of the fact that literary works are basically a referential product of the practice that goes back to continuous interdisciplinary interaction. History Of English Literature/Lecture 1

Advantages of Teaching Literature �Literature can be very enjoyable to read. �- It provides examples of different styles of writing, mirrors various authentic uses of the language. �- It is a good basis for vocabulary expansion. �- It fosters reading skills. �- It can supply an excellent jump-off point for discussion or writing. �- It involves emotions as well as intellect, which adds to motivation and may contribute to personal development. �- It is part of the target language culture and has value as part of students’ general education.

Conti. �- It encourages empathetic, critical and creative thinking. It contributes to world knowledge. �- It raises awareness of different human situations and conflicts. �- It provides a basis for communicative activities involving the 4 skills. �- It provides an opportunity for negotiation of meaning which is essential for FLA.

Cultural Value �Stories have been of central importance to the human race ever since it began, as far as we can tell. Cultures are built on stories—histories, myths and legends, fables, religions, and so on. If students are to understand participate in the culture to which they belong, they must first learn about the stories that culture has been built around. And while books aren’t the only kinds of stories out there, they are one of the most important.

Expanding Horizons �Everyone has a tendency to get so caught up in their own lives that they forget what’s going on in the world around them. And children and teens are particularly prone to this. It’s a goal of education to expose them to ideas from other cultures, to teach them about the histories and peoples of other times and places.

Building Vocabulary �Having a large and wide-ranging vocabulary is essential for a number of reasons. It helps with both writing and reading abilities, of course, but it also allows for more complex discourse. The larger your vocabulary is, the more in depth and thoughtful discussions you can have on important topics and issues, both in and outside of the classroom. When people speak they tend to use a fairly limited vocabulary, so the best way to become exposed to new words is to read.

Improving Writing Skills �Writing skills can be taught, to some extent. But the number one way to become a better writer is to read often. When you read you are being immersed in language, in the way it sounds and feels when put together in the right ways. Students who are encouraged to read have a more intimate knowledge of the ways in which language works, and so have an advantage when it comes time for them to write. This effect can even be made transparent by encouraging students to try writing in a particular book or author's style.

Teaching Critical Thinking �Education is supposed to give students the tools they need to become a valuable part of society, and one such tool is the ability to think critically. We want them to not just passively consume whatever is around them, but to analyze and criticize it as well. Literature serves this goal in a couple of ways. Many novels encourage critical thinking on their own, due to the issues and themes they explore

Overview �In this class we will discuss Literature History of English Literature Periods in the History of English Literature Division of Periods

History is nation`s biography Its Literature is its autobiography

Literature �Expression of life in terms of truth and beauty. �Written record of man`s spirit, thoughts, aspirations and emotions

Qualities of Literature � Artistic quality � Suggestive quality � Permanent quality

Tests Of Literature �Universality �Style

Objectives of Literature �To teach �To delight

Aims in Studying Literature �To know humans o Their souls o Their actions

Importance of Literature �Every civilization is founded upon ideals �Every human action springs from an ideal �Literature preserves such ideals �Literature preserves civilizations and human actions

History of English Literature Not a chronological account of books written in English language

History of English Literature The literature of England is one of the highest achievements of a great nation. It should not, however, be read simply as a national expression. It is a body of significant statements about abiding human concerns. The language in which it is written has evolved over hundreds of years and is still changing. Several nations, including Canada, the United States, and Australia, are indebted to England for a literary heritage.

History of English Literature �Record of the relationship between a writer and those who precede or succeed him/her. �Record of the relationship between age and age. It records the rise, the growth and the decline of schools and movements. �Record of the influence of individual writers on an age and vice versa. �Record of both individual writers and their special contributions to literature.

Aims of History of English Literature �To give a clear account of whole transformation of literature from period to period. �To make out the causes which have produced such transformations. �To explain the successive changes in its matter, form and spirit.

Periods �A period is a certain length of time during which a particular kind of taste prevails. �A taste of an age differs from that of others.

Periods �A literature written in an age is marked by various common features like its subject matter, thought, tone, and style. �Each age had its own particular lines of interest and its own particular way of thinking and feeling about things.

Factors deciding a Period �Anything that brings fresh ideas and interests into the life of an age. �Anything that modifies the thoughts and feelings of a period. �Any change in the attitude towards men and things.

Labels of Periods �The periods in the history of English literature are usually labeled with epithets derived from history: �The Elizabethan Period �The Victorian Period

The Anglo – Saxon Period: ( 449 - 1100) �Britain before the Anglo- Saxons �The Germanic Invasions �Anglo- Saxon Society �Anglo – Saxon Literature I.

II. The Medieval Period: (1100 – 1500) �The Norman Conquest �The Reign of William the Conqueror and the Feudal System �The Medieval Church �The Medieval Literature

III. The Renaissance Period: (1500 - 1600)

IV. The Puritan Age: (1600 - 1660)

V. The Restoration Period: (1660 – 1700)

VI. The Age of Pope: (1700 - 1744)

VII. The Age of Johnson: (1744 - 1784)

VIII. The Romantic Age: (1798 - 1824)

IX. The Victorian Age: (1832 - 1900)

X. Modern Literature: (1900 - 1961)

XI. Post-Modern Literature:

The Present Age

SUM UP �What is Literature? �What is History of Literature? �What is a Period?

Reference Book 1. History of English Literature An Introduction By Xavier Pradheep Singh. M. S. HEL Series - 16 th July 2010 2. INA MITITELU, HISTORY OF BRITISH LITERATURE FROM ORIGINS TO THE AGE OF REASON, 2010

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